The Excedra

The Excedra is a semicircular stone bench commemorating the location
of the Vatican Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair. It sits just to the
southeast of the NY State Pavilion and just to the north of the
Long Island Expressway.

This the site of the Vatican Pavilion was
authorized by Pope John XXIII
visited on October 4, 1965 by
Pope Paul Vi
during his mission of peace to
The United Nations
The building exhibited Michelangelo's Pieta and
other art treasures. It symbolized the brotherhood
of man, the spirit of ecumenism and the theme
of the New York World's Fair 1964-1965
"Peace Through Understanding"
The Vatican Pavilion
Francis Cardinal Spellman, President
Most Reverend Bryan J. McEntegart, Vice President
The Vatican Pavilion
was dedicated on April 19, 1964